Festival start: 02 October 2026
Festival end: 10 October 2026
The FICNOVA International Film Festival on Active Nonviolence is held every two years around October 2nd, the International Day of Nonviolence declared by the United Nations.
It is organized and promoted through volunteer work by the non-profit humanist association FICNOVA, inspired by Universalist Humanism, along with other associations, organizations, and individuals who share the transformative sensibility of active nonviolence.
After its first seven editions held in different cities in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mauritania, Mexico, Peru, the Czech Republic, and Spain, activists from different cities and countries are once again participating together in preparation for the eighth edition of FICNOVA 2026.
FICNOVA is a thematic festival that brings together films from around the world that showcase examples of active nonviolence as ways to overcome violence, discrimination, and human suffering.
In this edition, we will pay special attention to those works that best demonstrate NONVIOLENCE as a universal reference, transcending personal egocentrism, interested only in oneself, and the group of factions, interested only in those "like me." We will highlight those productions that aspire to want the best for every human being, and thus move FROM ME TO WE.
From this general context, we share the following participation guidelines for the 8th Edition of FICNOVA 2026.
The Official Jury will choose the winners from among the finalists, recognising them with the
"FICNOVA Estela" in each official section of the competition:
GENERAL SECCTION
- Feature Film
- Medium-length Film
- Short Film
EDUCATION CENTRES SECTION
- Short Film.
A category could be declared void if the Official Jury did not recognize, among the works received, a significant example of non-violence.
The organization of the festival reserves the right to award "Honour Estela" with a special award to the most significant works of nonviolence, if it deems it appropriate.
8TH FICNOVA 2026 PARTICIPATION RULES
“Nonviolence: From I to We”
GLOBE deadlineS AND REQUIREMENTS
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
• FILM SUBMISSION deadline: From May 4 to August 1, 2025.
• PUBLICATION OF OFFICIAL COMPETITION SELECTION: July 15, 2026. (On the FICNOVA website).
• FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: September 2, 2026.
• WINNERS ANNOUNCED: October 2, 2026.
• FESTIVAL TIME: Week of October 2, 2026.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
• THEME. Only works that, in addition to denouncing any form of violence (physical, economic, racial, religious, sexual, psychological, or moral), also offer a nonviolent solution that overcomes the situation of violence, opening up the future, will be accepted.
• languageS. Only works in any original language will be accepted, but they must include subtitles in Spanish and english. Films that do not meet this requirement will not be accepted in competition.
-- GENERAL SECTION --
1. GLOBAL ASPECTS
1.1. Any person of any nationality may participate. A group or institution may also participate, with the reference and responsibility of a person of legal age.
1.2. Entries must be original. The competition organizers assume that the persons submitting the works own the rights to them, and disclaim all liability if this is not the case.
1.3. Entry Format
A. Feature Films: With a minimum running time of 60 minutes.
B. Medium-length Films: Productions between 31 and 59 minutes in length.
C. Short Films: Must be no longer than 30 minutes.
1.4. All accepted works must provide:
• a trailer to be displayed on the competition website (no more than 2 minutes);
• An audio, video, or text file from the director or producer explaining what prompted the film's creation and identifying the forms of nonviolence they consider the work to address: physical nonviolence, gender nonviolence, racial nonviolence, economic nonviolence, religious nonviolence, psychological nonviolence, moral nonviolence, or others. (Less than 1 minute of audio/video, or less than 500 words of text).
1.5. languageS. Only works in any original language will be accepted, but they must include subtitles in Spanish and english. Films that do not meet this requirement will not be accepted into the competition.
2. PARTICIPATION
2.1. Submissions can be made from May 4th to August 1st, 2025, through the festival platforms listed on the festival website: www.ficnova.org
2.2. Format of the films in competition. Films produced in Full HD format with H264 codec (1920x1080) are eligible to participate in the General Section.
2.3. Once registered and selected, the film cannot be withdrawn from the Festival program.
2.4. All these forms of submission will constitute a sworn declaration of acknowledgment and acceptance of these rules.
3. REGISTRATION AND SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
Registration and submission of works within the indicated period will be done through the platforms enabled for this edition, which are listed on the website: www.ficnova.org
The following documentation must be attached to the competition submission:
a) Technical sheet and synopsis of the film.
b) Promotional trailer.
c) Audio, video, or text file from the director or producer explaining the motivation for creating the film and identifying the forms of nonviolence they consider the work to address: (physical nonviolence, gender nonviolence, racial nonviolence, economic nonviolence, religious nonviolence, psychological nonviolence, moral nonviolence, etc.)
d) 2 photographs of the film, and its poster (if available).
e) Contact email address for communication of results and postal address for possible award submissions.
4. JURY AND awards
The Festival Organizers will appoint the members of the Official Jury under the following conditions:
4.1. It will be composed of professionals from the film and education worlds, as well as nonviolent humanist activists from the cities hosting the festival.
4.2. No one with any interest in the production or exploitation of a film in competition may serve on the jury.
4.3. Jury members agree not to publicly express their opinions regarding the films submitted for consideration before the official announcement of the awards.
4.4. The jury will select the "FICNOVA Steles" winners from among the finalists in each section:
• Feature Film • Medium-length Film • Short Film
4.5. A category may be declared void if the jury does not recognize a significant example of nonviolence among the works received.
4.6. The festival organizers reserve the right to award "Estelae of Honor" with a special prize to the most significant works of nonviolence, if they deem it appropriate.
5. SELECTION OF WORKS
5.1. The Festival organizers will select for entry into the competition all productions whose themes meet the criteria of demonstrating an example of nonviolence, meaning that they clearly denounce at least one type of violence (physical, economic, racial, religious, psychological, moral, etc.) and that, in addition to denouncing it, offer a nonviolent solution that overcomes the situation of violence being portrayed. This initial selection will be made before July 15, 2026, and will be published after that date.
5.2. From all the selected works, the semi-finalists and a maximum of five finalists will be chosen for each category. Particular attention will be paid to works that provide examples that transcend their own culture and serve as a global reference. The finalists will be announced on the competition website starting September 2, 2026.
6. GENERAL COMMITMENTS
6.1. Participants grant FICNOVA, as promoters of the festival, the right to show the submitted productions, on a non-exclusive basis, during the festival week and at subsequent events designed to showcase them as examples of the power of active nonviolence, without notice or compensation for the granting of such rights. Under no circumstances will FICNOVA commercially exploit its screenings.
6.2. The local organization of each host city will screen the competition films according to its logistical capabilities, during the festival week or subsequently, always considering the voluntary and free allocation of spaces.
6.3. Producers and distributors of films in the Official Competition Section may include the phrase "Official Selection of the 8th International Film Festival of Active Nonviolence 2026" in all their advertising and press materials, using the Festival logo.
6.4. The Festival Organization will resolve any matter not covered in these rules, in accordance with current legislation.
6.5. Participation in the 8th International Active Nonviolence Film Festival 2026 implies acceptance of these rules by all interested parties.
Feature Films
Feature Films >60'
No Fee
Submissions deadline
01 Aug 25
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0€
Submit
Demonstration effects of transformations through active nonviolence
Medium-length
Short Films >31' 59'<
No Fee
Submissions deadline
01 Aug 25
Save up
0€
Submit
Demonstration effects of transformations through active nonviolence
Short Films
Short Films 30'<
No Fee
Submissions deadline
01 Aug 25
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0€
Submit
Demonstration effects of transformations through active nonviolence
Film School: Short films
Short Films 30'<
No Fee
Submissions deadline
01 Aug 25
Save up
0€
Submit
Rules for participation in the Schools Section
8th FICNOVA 2026
1. GLOBAL ASPECTS
1.1. Any individual or group of individuals from the primary and secondary school community (students, teachers, parents, school staff) may participate. Submissions must be submitted with the reference and responsibility of an adult.
(NOTE: Submissions from universities and film schools must be submitted to the General Section).
1.2. Submissions must be original. The competition organizers assume that the submitters hold the rights to the works, and disclaim all liability if this is not the case.
1.3. Submission format:
Short fiction or documentary films of less than 30 minutes in length.
1.4. All accepted works must include:
• A trailer to be shown on the competition website (no more than 2 minutes);
• An audio, video, or text file from the director or producer explaining what prompted the film's creation and identifying the forms of nonviolence they consider the work to address: physical nonviolence, gender nonviolence, racial nonviolence, economic nonviolence, religious nonviolence, psychological nonviolence, moral nonviolence, or others. (Less than 1 minute of audio/video, or less than 500 words of text).
• Declaration from the guardian of the adult submitting the work that they have the authorization of the parents or guardians of any minors who appear in the filming. Failure to do so will result in exclusion from the competition.
• LANGUAGES. Only works in any original language will be accepted, but with the option of subtitles in both Spanish and English. Films that do not meet this requirement will not be accepted.
2. PARTICIPATION
2.1. Submissions can be made from May 4th to August 1st, 2025, through the festival platforms listed on the festival website: www.ficnova.org
2.2. Format of the films in competition. Films produced in HD quality or higher may participate in the Educational Centers Section.
2.3. Once registered and selected, the film cannot be withdrawn from the Festival program.
2.4. All these forms of submission will constitute a sworn declaration of acknowledgment and acceptance of these rules.
3. REGISTRATION AND SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
Registration and submission of works within the indicated period must be done through the platforms enabled for this edition, which are listed on the website: www.ficnova.org
The following documentation must be attached to the competition submission:
a) Technical sheet and synopsis of the film.
b) Promotional trailer (if available).
c) Audio, video, or text file from the director or producer explaining the motivation for creating the film and identifying the forms of nonviolence they consider the work addresses: (physical nonviolence, gender nonviolence, racial nonviolence, economic nonviolence, religious nonviolence, psychological nonviolence, moral nonviolence, others).
d) 2 photographs of the film, and its poster (if available).
e) Contact email address for communication of results and postal address for possible award submissions.
4. JURY AND AWARDS
The Festival Organizers will appoint the members of the Official Jury under the following conditions:
4.1. It will be composed of professionals from the film and education sectors and nonviolent humanist activists from the cities hosting the festival.
4.2. No one with any interest in the production or exploitation of a film in competition may serve on the jury.
4.3. Jury members agree not to publicly express their opinions regarding the films submitted for consideration before the official announcement of the awards.
4.4. The jury will select from among the finalists the recipients of the "FICNOVA Steles" in the Short Films from Educational Centers section.
4.5. A category may be declared void if the jury does not recognize a significant example of nonviolence among the works received.
4.6. The festival organizers reserve the right to award "Estelae of Honor" with a special prize to the most significant works of nonviolence, if they deem it appropriate.
5. SELECTION OF WORKS
5.1. The Festival organizers will select for entry into the competition all productions whose themes meet the criteria of demonstrating an example of nonviolence, meaning that they clearly denounce at least one type of violence (physical, economic, racial, religious, psychological, moral, etc.) and that, in addition to denouncing it, offer a nonviolent solution that overcomes the situation of violence being portrayed. This initial selection will be made before July 15, 2026, and will be published after that date.
5.2. From all the selected works, the semi-finalists and a maximum of five finalists will be chosen for each category. Particular attention will be paid to works that provide examples that transcend their own culture and serve as a global reference. The finalists will be announced on the competition website starting September 2, 2026.
6. COMPROMISOS GENERALES
6.1. Los participantes conceden a FICNOVA, como promotores del festival, los derechos para mostrar las producciones presentadas, de forma no exclusiva, durante la semana del festival, y en posteriores actos dirigidos a mostrarlas como ejemplos de la fuerza de la noviolencia activa, sin necesidad de aviso ni compensación por la concesión de tal derecho. En ningún caso FICNOVA explotará comercialmente sus proyecciones.
6.2. La organización local de cada ciudad-sede proyectará las películas del concurso de acuerdo a sus posibilidades logísticas, en la semana del festival o posteriormente, teniendo en cuenta siempre la cesión de espacios de forma voluntaria y gratuita.
6.3. Los productores y distribuidores de aquellos filmes que integran la Selección Oficial a Concurso pueden incluir en toda su publicidad y material de prensa la frase "Selección Oficial del 8º Festival Internacional de Cine de la No-violencia Activa 2026", utilizando el logotipo del Festival.
6.4. La Organización del Festival resolverá todo asunto no contemplado en el presente reglamento, de acuerdo con la legislación vigente.
6.5. La participación en el 8º Festival Internacional de Cine de la NoViolencia Activa 2026 implica por parte de los interesados la aceptación de las presentes bases.
